Managing Split Boards

**timnatoli** · 17th December 2005, 10:10 AM

A friend and I are making a table out of large section recycled redgum boards (300*40). One board is cupping badly because of a old split/crack that runs down the centre of its underside.
Someone has mentioned to me before that you can by small steel 'clips' which will hold pieces or boards together without glue and that can be tensioned.
Does anyone know about these and wether they might be suitable for stabilising my split piece and where I could get them?

**echnidna** · 17th December 2005, 06:52 PM

I wouldn't mess around with clips on a table coz if they're unsatisfactory you end up with a crappy table.
The best way is to saw the crappy plank it into 2 narrower boards eliminating the defctive section totally, then glue the whole table up in one go.

**aabb** · 17th December 2005, 09:43 PM

Welcome to BB Timnatoli,
I fully agree with Bob on this one.. not worth the pain a bad board can later cause.
Albert

**zenwood** · 17th December 2005, 11:12 PM

I've just been trying to make a side table from some recycled jarrah with some severe splitting. A real PITA. My advice, saw out the splits and use the smaller pieces for other projects, then get some nice solid timber for the table.

**timnatoli** · 18th December 2005, 09:56 AM

Thanks alot for your information guys. Our aim was to keep it as a single piece because the figure on the top (which is clean) is sensational. Its just the bottom thats stuffed. I will suggest to my friend that perhaps its better to split the piece into two smaller sections.
Thanks, Tim

**derekcohen** · 18th December 2005, 12:57 PM

Our aim was to keep it as a single piece because the figure on the top (which is clean) is sensational.

Tim

The split is there because of the wood moving - what is necessary to determine now is whether it is still moving, or whether it has stabilized. If you are confident that movement has ended (well, you know what I mean - it is always moving .. I note that this is recycled timber, and it may have been in an unfriendly environment), then I would pin the splits with a few butterflys in a contrasting timber. This would make for an interesting look. Rout them out or cut by hand.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**echnidna** · 18th December 2005, 07:55 PM

The splits are probably into the heartwood which is why the timber is bending along the split line.

Another solution which is a bit time consuming but should work is;
Machine the board flat, top and bottom.
Rout a trench in a straight line along the splits in the back surface.
I'd make this trench go to a depth within 10mm of the top face
Then make (and glue in) a piece or pieces of redgum that fit snugly in the routed trench. This filler piece doesn't need to run full length you could use short pieces butted tightly end to end.

Thread: Managing Split Boards

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Managing Split Boards

Similar Threads

Managing l-o-n-g boards when planing.

Making skirting boards

Best Way to Edge-Join Boards?

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions